gentle and earnest

I once was told "Gracie, you are an extremely justice- filled person."

It's true, I want people to know the truth and I want to tell them the truth. I want everyone to know Jesus. I want their lives to be changed like mine was. This is not a bad thing, this is actually what Jesus calls us to do, but sometimes my approach to it is not how it should be.

Yes, I am justice-filled and passionate for the Lord, but sometimes this passion can become aggressive and an overwhelming flood of emotions. Usually, anytime I try to share the truth of the Gospel I end up crying because I just want people to know it so badly and I get so frustrated when they do not understand. This is my first post in almost 8 months and I'm getting vulnerable, omg sooorrrrryyy. I am such an emotional person, sometimes evangelism just does not come easy to me!!!!

The Lord has placed on my heart that the best thing I can do to reveal His Nature and Truth is to love others with all that I have. The Gospel is love. God sent Himself to die because He loves us and He wants us to be with Him forever. "For God so loved the world (aka us!) that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Yes, it's so important to share the Gospel, but it is never our job to CHANGE people and JUDGE nonbelievers... as much as we do want them to know Jesus. Jesus does not need us to defend Him in heated arguments or debates. We are meant to defend the faith with wisdom and in how we love. If someone hears you're a Christian and sees you yelling at people, they're not going to want anything to do with this Jesus guy that you keeping saying you love.

"Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels".  (2 Timothy 2:23)

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger".  (Proverbs 15:1)

I think a lot of times Christians (like my passionate self) try so hard to get people to admit that we are right about Jesus. This causes people to go overboard and engage in unnecessary heated arguments, debates, comment sections, etc.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8). 

Being a passionate and a justice- filled Christian does not have to be aggressive. The most passionate thing you can do is love gently and earnestly.

I do think it is important to mention though that I think a lot of nonbelievers have a definition of love that means to approve of people doing whatever they want. Knowing Jesus, I see so clearly now that this is not love. It's simply conflict avoidance. You can not support every single thing someone does, that is just insincere. When someone is harming their mind, body, or soul sometimes it is your place to say something and sometimes it's not. Honesty is not a mean thing, though today many people think it is. Earnestness is pure and it does not have to be judgmental. But, if you think your heart is in a place where it is hard for you to be honest in a loving way, then, in that case, it's better to not say anything at all. "There's a time to speak and a time to be silent." (Ecclesiastes 3:7)

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Love is when you are gentle and kind and selfless and humble and slow to anger and honest towards everyone, not just the people you agree with.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them." (Luke 6:32)

Jesus loves everyone and He died for everyone. Don't ever try to make it exclusive. Remember, "For God so loved the world", not just you and the people you like and that are like you. We are all here on this Earth, meaning, He deliberately decided to craft you together in your mother's womb. You, reading this, are His masterpiece.

Living and speaking in a loving way will get your point across more than any debating or arguing or lecturing ever will. You don't have to prove Jesus to people. Jesus is the Truth. He is Love. We are called to go and tell. Conversion depends on the Lord. and He will do it.

All we can do is share His Love and Truth, not with aggression, but still with passion. The most important thing in our lives is to love God and love people. Because without Jesus, there is no basis of love or any other good thing.

"Loving God and loving one's neighbor are really the same thing". - Brother Lawrence

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4: 7-8)

VERSES

watching our words:

2 Timothy 2:23

Proverbs 15:1

Ecclesiastes 3:7

God's love:

John 3:16

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

loving others:

1 Peter 4:8

Luke 6:32

1 John 4: 7-8